Benny & Joon
Movie • 1993 • Comedy
ReportSynopsis
A mentally ill young woman finds her love in an eccentric man who models himself after Buster Keaton.
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Your Triggers
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Needs More Answers
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Is there domestic violence?
National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233)
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Is someone gaslighted?
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Nobody intentionally makes anyone think that they are crazy. Joon's brother does call her crazy. Joon has special needs and is aware of it.
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Does an abused person forgive their abuser?
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Joon forgives her brother Benny for being controlling of her, however I wouldn’t say he was ever abusive anyway, just unsure how to handle being the carer of a mentally ill person. They both yell at each other and eventually apologize, and it’s clear throughout that they care a lot about each other.
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Addiction
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19 minutes in. About 33 seconds.
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Does a pet die?
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A goldfish
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Is there a dead animal?
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A pet goldfish
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Assault
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Is someone restrained?
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A character is forcibly removed from a bus
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Bodily Harm
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Does someone fall to their death?
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No one falls to their death, but someone does fall from a high distance and injure his leg.
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Does someone break a bone?
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After Sam swings on a rope outside of Joon's hospital window while she talks with Benny and Dr. Garvey, he falls into the bushes below. There is a cut to Sam with his foot wrapped in white bandages, so it is only implied that it was broken on impact.
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Are there clowns?
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There is a jack in the box toy that appears in a couple points in the movie as a central focus. The box has clowns painted on it. There are also other objects that are clowns or reminiscent of clowns elsewhere in Benny and Joon’s house, mostly in Joon’s room
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Is there a shower scene?
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After Sam starts living with Benny and Joon, he asks Benny how sick his sister is. Benny is taking a shower during their chat, but nothing explicit is show, only his face & shoulders.
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Mental Health
Does someone die by suicide?
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255)
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Does someone attempt suicide?
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255)
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Is autism misrepresented?
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It’s complicated. Both Sam and Joon can be interpreted as autistic, although neither is labeled as such, mostly because of general ignorance about neurodivergence during the time the film was made. They both have a mishmash of symptoms and traits, in typical Hollywood fashion. But overall, I would say the film was ahead of it’s time in its depiction of neurodivergence. And the message about the right to privacy and autonomy for adults with disabilities was unprecedented. Some of it doesn’t hold up to a modern lens but it was an important film to me as an autistic kid in the 90s, and still worth watching for autistic and ND folks as a legacy film.
Note that Benny, Joon’s brother and caregiver, does sometimes treat Joon like she is a child and a burden. This will be the most potentially triggering aspect of the film for autistic viewers. But in the end, he learns that he has been wrong to do so, and one could say that is the point if the film.
Note that Benny, Joon’s brother and caregiver, does sometimes treat Joon like she is a child and a burden. This will be the most potentially triggering aspect of the film for autistic viewers. But in the end, he learns that he has been wrong to do so, and one could say that is the point if the film.
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Is there misophonia?
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Joon is sensitive to loud noises and peculiar ways of speaking
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Is a mentally ill person violent?
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Joon never harms anyone nor attacks anyone. However, she has outbursts where she throws things. There's a scene in a bus, with phenomenal acting by the way, where she's having an episode of distress. She's restrained by two officers and she kicks the window and it shatters. Can be very triggering. Joon and her brother Benny do get into a slight physical thing. But they don't harm one another.
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Does someone suffer from PTSD?
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It’s never specified what is wrong with Joon other than mental illness. We know that her parents died in a tragic accident.
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Is there autism specific abuse?
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Sam seems to be autistic, amd characters either complain that he is "driving them crazy". Benny calls Sam a moron during a verbal altercation.
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Is there ABA therapy?
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No ABA, no behaviorism
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Noxious
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Are there flashing lights or images?
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During a flashback scene, police lights can be seen.
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Paranoia
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Pregnancy
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Is there ableist language or behavior?
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A character is called "crazy" amd another is called a "moron"
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There is no antisemitism.
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Relationships
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Sex
Are there incestuous relationships?
National Sexual Assault Hotline 800.656.4673
99 supporters
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Does someone have a chronic illness?
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No physical chronic illness, Joon has an unspecified mental illness which may be chronic
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Vehicular
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Violence
Is there blood/gore?
80 supporters
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Sam and Joon rent a low-budget movie 'Prom Queen Mutilator' that Ruthie acted in before becoming a waitress to watch with her and Benny. There is mild blood in the scene we're shown, but it is obviously fake and played for laughs.
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